Architecture pair recognised for bold visions

Two Otago Polytechnic Architecture students will represent New Zealand at this year’s Dulux Colour Awards in the NZ Student category.

Master of Architecture (Professional) students Hudson Ross (22) and Ryno Von Wielligh (23) will travel to Australia in May for the prestigious awards ceremony at the Sydney Opera House, after their bold visions for Otago Peninsula and North Dunedin were selected as finalists.

This is the 40th anniversary of the Dulux Colour Awards, which celebrates innovative, original, and ambitious use of colour in the built environment across New Zealand and Australia.

Associate Professor Tobias Danielmeier, Head of the School of Architecture, was delighted to see the pair recognised among the most exciting emerging design talent in the country.

“In a highly competitive field, Otago Polytechnic has secured two of the three NZ Student finalist places at these premier awards,” he says.

“This is a wonderful achievement for both our ākonga and the school.”

Hudson is a finalist for his second consecutive year, which the Dulux Colour Awards team says is a significant achievement and a testament to the strength of talent coming through Otago’s architecture programme.

His outdoor project hot & cold would be a four-day walking trail across the Otago Peninsula, inspired by the children’s game where you get “warmer” as you approach your goal - in this case, the centre of the extinct Otago volcano.

“Beginning at Smaill’s Beach and ending at the Bull Ring, the trail is designed to regenerate the landscape it travels through by teaching users to plant native trees, set pest traps, and actively restore local ecosystems,” says Hudson.

“Coloured modular huts, nurseries, and boardwalks all support this process and provide tools to create an engaging, evolving experience that strengthens connections between people and place."

Meanwhile, Ryno’s project The Lighthouse Entertainment Precinct envisages a series of major redevelopments to bring life to a section of North Dunedin through day and night activity zones.

His masterplan spans performance and study spaces, hospitality venues, and a multi-use indoor skate park and nightclub.

“Located on Parry Street, the precinct establishes itself as a bold landmark as the newest part of Ōtepoti Dunedin’s cultural identity,” says Ryno.

“Situated between the waterfront, University campus, and Dunedin’s Stadium, the project operates as an urban mediator, supporting diverse cultural activity.”

A record 540+ entries were received for the 2026 Dulux Colour Awards from across New Zealand and Australia.

Organisers say a panel of five leading design and architecture professionals then selected 94 finalists across eight categories.

“The student categories sit alongside leading architectural and design practices, highlighting how confidently emerging designers are already engaging with colour, not just as decoration, but as a powerful tool to shape experience, mood and spatial identity.”